Portable gate



May 9, 1944. J. a. MUTCH PORTABLE GATE Filed Nov. 11, 1945 l i/ 29 n 0 7Q 34 1%? 19 31/ a i go "x O O 0 0 O 0 9 0 l9 OZ/ 2 Sheets-She et 1 y1944. J. B. MUTCH 2,343,561

PORTABLE GATE Filed Nov. 11, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ts W I Patented May9, 1944 James B. Mutch, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Wood Items, Inc.,Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 11,1943, Serial No. 509,887

Claims. (01. 160138) down the staircase or from falling down a staircase. Sometimes portable gates are used on porches to close the usualpassage leading onto and from the porch. Other uses may be made ofportable gates of the character involved in the present application. Asthe door and passage openings vary in width, I have provided a selfadjusting portable gate which may be readily collapsed and expanded tofit varying sized door or other passages and which when collapsed can bereadily carried from one place to another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible andexpansible portable gate designed particularly for household use whereit is desired to place a barrier across a door or passageway or at thetop or bottom of a staircase or across the passage of a porch or otherplace and which may be readily and quickly adjusted and firmly installedin operative position across doors or other passages of varying widthand which is readily and easily removed from operative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable gate forsaid or other purposes and provided with eifective locking means carriedby the gate to lock the gate in operative position.

A still further object is to provide an operating means for anadjustable gate and which is of simple construction and readily appliedto the gate to effectively lock the gate in installed position in adoorway or passageway against acci dental dislodgment, and which is soconstructed as to provide a handle to facilitate carrying the collapsedgate from one place to another.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thecombination and arrangement of elements illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and described in the following specification, it beingunderstood'that changes may be made in matter of shape, size, andportions of the various elements without departing' from the spirit ofthe invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, so long asdeparture is not made beyond the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing one application ofthe same in use;

Fig. 2 illustrates the invention in folded condition;

3 is a rear elevation of the invention as applied in use;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view showing the various parts separated;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a modified form of door jamb engagingmember; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another modified form of door jambengaging member.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, thereference character A indicates, generally, a gate which is adjustableas to length to fit door or other openings of varying sizes and whichincludes a flexible portion l9 and rigid supporting end bars 20 and 2|coupled together.

The flexible portion I9 of the gate is of a common, lazy-tong typecomposed of crossed inclined bars pivotally connected together at theirpoints of intersection by means of bolts or rivets 22 in the usualmanner so as to provide for expansion and contraction and consequentadjustability of the gate.

The supporting end bars 20 and 2| are pivotally connected to the ends ofthe flexible portion of the gate. For instance, there are upper andlower links 23 and 24, respectively, projecting from the ends of theflexible portion IQ of the gate and pivotally connected to thesupporting end bars, as will be explained, and in a manner such as tosuspend or support the flexible portion is of the gate above the lowerends of the supporting end bars and the floor.

Upper and lower wood, rubber, plastic, metal or other substantialbrackets 25 and 26, respectively, are firmly secured to and projectoutwardly from the respective end bars 20 and 2| by means of suitablebolts 2'! and nuts 28. These brackets 25 and 25 each'has a U-shaped orother recess 29 adapted to embrace the respective supporting end barsand on their outer sides the brackets have U-shaped or other recesses 30adapted to embrace the doorstops 3| of a door jamb whereby to hold thegate in its expanded or spread-out condition firmly in the doorwaybetween the door jambs.

The inner sides of the aforesaid supporting end bars 20 and 2| haveupper and lower slots 32 and 33, respectively, formed therein and into.

these slots the respective aforesaid links 23 and 24 extend and havetheir outer ends loosely pivoted on the respective aforesaid bolts 21.The inner ends of said links 23 and 24 are pivoted on certain of therivets or bolts 22 connecting the cross bars of the flexible portion ofthe gate, and preferably between the respective cross .bars of theflexible portion of the gate, as shown.

When the gate is not in use and adjusted to folded or collapsedcondition, it is a very compact article and can be shipped, stored, orkept in a relatively small space. To use the gate in a doorway or otherpassageway, I provide suitable means for looking it in expandedcondition, said means being such as to provide a carrying handle forcarrying the gate from one room to another or for transporting the gatewhen not used in a doorway or passage.

To the ends just alluded to, I provide a locking means carried by thesupporting end bars and 2! and consisting of a combined operating memberand handle 34 to which, in notch 35 thereof, are pivoted at 36 the innerends of slidable rods 3'! and 38. These rods 31 and 38 have telescopicsliding fit in the sleeves 39 and 40 against the normally expandingsprings '4! and 42 in the sleeves, the sleeves at their outer ends beingpivoted at 43 and 44 respectively, to the supporting end bars 23 and 2|.Thus, the locking'means is carried by the supporting end bars 20 and 2|and on the outer side of the gate, and by virtue of the springs 4| and'42 in thesleeves 39 and 6B, the rods 31 and 38 have a normal tendencyto slide outwardly of the sleeves incident to the normal expansiontendency of said springs.

The rods .37 and 38 have slots '42 in them through which and therespective sleeves extend bolts-45 which form stops to limit outwardsliding movement of the rods in the respective sleeves and which preventturning of the rods in the sleeves, obviating'twisting and consequentunnecessary strain on the handle or operating member 34 during theoperation of expanding or contracting of the gate or when the gate isinstalled for use and accidental pressure brought to bear upon the gate.

When the gate is collapsed and it is "desired to place the same across adoor opening or passage, it may be readily carried to the :place ofinstallment in a collapsed position by grasping the operating member 34as a handle, facilitating carrying of the gate in a collapsed condition.To position the gate at a door opening or passageway, the flexibleportion l9 of the gate is expanded and the brackets carried by thesupporting end bars are disposed over the opposite door jamb stops 3|.Then upon a downward push or force on the operating member 34, the rods3'! and 38 are forced inwardly of the respective sleeves 39 and 40against the normal outward thrust of the springs M and 42, the saidsleeves at the same time moving downwardly on their respective pivots 43and 44, further expanding the gate during this downward thrust on theoperating member 34 to force the respective brackets over the door jambstops tightly.

By continued downward movement on the operating member 34 and theconsequent compression of said springs in the sleeves 39 and 40, theexpansion of the flexible portion I9 of the gate is continued, and whenthe operating member 34 and said telescoping rods and sleeves crossdead-center, the gate is locked in the door or other opening againstaccidental collapse or dislodgment. The said operating means issupported solely by the supporting end members 20 and 2| being pivotallyor swingingly connected thereto, as previously stated, and effects aselflocking of the gate in operative position.

If desired, the brackets 25 and 26 may not possess the aforesaid outerrecesses 30. The brackets 45 may-have their outer faces formed fiat, asat 46 (Fig. 6), for flat meeting face contact with a flat door jamb orother side frame members not embodying said stops 3|, and yetsufficiently and firmly hold the gate in the door or passage openingagainst falling outwardly or inwardly of the doorway or passage becauseof the forced pressure of the fiat faces 45 against the sides of thedoor or passage opening incident to said operating member passing deadcenter for locking purposes. As a matter of fact, under certainconditions the gate holding brackets may be omitted entirely and thelocking means depended upon to lock the gate end bars 20 and 21 tightlyagainst the sides of a door or passageway under such pressure ofexpansion as to hold the gate in operative position- To remove the gatefrom locked condition relative to a door or passage opening, it issimply necessary to gras'p the operating member 34 and pull upwardly onit, causing the rods 37 and 38 under the expansion of the springs 4! and42 to move outwardly of the respective sleeves 3S and 40 and pull thesupporting bars away from the sides of the door or passage as will bereadilyunderstood. By pulling upwardly on th operating member 34 acrossthe dead-center locking line to itsuppermost limit of upward movement,the gate is completely collapsed or folded and readily carried to aconvenient place until again needed for use.

Thus, I provide a collapsible and expansible portable gate of relativelylight Weight includin rigid supporting end members and an intermediateflexible portion having pivotal link connection with the said endmembers in combination with an operating means supported by the endmembers and unconnected with said flexible portion and movable upwardlyand downwardly in a'plane substantially the same as the vertical planeof the gate to'c-ollapse and expand the gate and lock the gate in anexpanded condition whether or not the gate is installed in a doorway orpassage. The operating means is such as to provide a convenient handlefor carrying the gate in folded or collapsed condition from place toplace. 7

Under certain conditions, the door jamb engaging members may be in theform of suction cups 4'! carried by the gate supporting end members. -Asshown in Fig. 7, the suction cups 4'! may be secured to the aforesaidsupporting end bars as shown in Fig. '7. The suction cups may be of anysuitable form and they may be secured tothe gate in any suitable manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I provide a simpleandinexpensive portable gate for the purposes stated, and that in itscollapsed or folded condition or :for shipping purposes, its overallsize is greatly reduced to conserve space.

What is claimed is:

-1. A collapsible and expansible gate comprising rigid uprightsupporting end members and an intermediate flexible portion pivotallyconnected to the supporting end members, means pivotally connected tothe end members including oppositely disposed spring actuatedtelescoping elements, and an operating member pivotall connected to thespring actuated telescoping members movable to actuate the latter tocontract and expand the gate.

2. A collapsible and expansible gate comprising rigid upright endsupporting members and an intermediate flexible portion pivotallyconnected to said end members, means pivotally connected to the endmembers including oppositely disposed spring actuated telescopingelements, a member pivotally connected to the inper ends of saidoppositely disposed spring actuated telescoping elements for downwardmovement to actuate the spring actuated telescoping elements to expandthe gate and upon upward movement to collapse the gate,'and door jambengaging members carried by the supporting upright end members.

3. A collapsible and expansible gate comprising rigid upright supportingend members and an intermediate flexible portion pivotally connected tosaid end members, means including oppositely disposed spring actuatedtelescoping elements pivotally connected to the respective end membersand extending toward each other, and a member pivotally connected at itsends to the inner ends of said oppositely disposed spring actuatedtelescoping elements and movable downwardly to actuate said springactuated telescoping elements to expand the gate and lock it in expandedcondition against accidental colla se.

1. A collapsible and expansible gate comprising rigid upright supportingend members and an intermediate flexible portion pivotally connected tosaid end members, means including oppositely disposed spring actuatedtelescoping elements pivotally connected to the respective end membersand extending toward each other, and a relatively short hand graspingmember located substantally midway between the said upright supportingend members and pivotally connected at its ends to the inner ends ofsaid oppositely disposed spring actuated telescoping elements andmovable downwardly to actuate said telescoping elements to expand thegate and lock it in expanded condition against accidental collapse, saidhand grasping member constituting a handle for carrying the gate fromone place to another when in collapsed condition.

5. A collapsible and expansible portable gate comprising rigidsupporting end members and a collapsible intermediate portion havingpivotal link connections with said end members, and means carried by theend members and disposed adjacent said flexible portion below the top ofthe gate unconnected with said flexible portion and operable upwardlyand downwardly in a vertical plane along side of the gate to collapseand expand the gate.

6. A collapsible and expansible gate comprising rigid supporting endmembers and a collapsible intermediate portion having pivotal linkconnections with said end members, and means carried by the end membersand disposed along side of said flexible portion and unconnected withsaid. flexible portion and operable close to the gate in a planeparallel with the vertical plane of the gate and below the top the gateto collapse and expand the gate and to lock the gate in expandedcondition against accidental collapse.

7. A collapsible and expansible gate comprising rigid supporting endmembers and a collapsible intermediate portion having pivotal linkconnections with said end members, and operating means supported solelyby the end members and having vertical up and down movement along sideof the gate and in a plane substantially parallel with the verticalplane of the gate and within the marginal edges of the gate forcollapsing and expanding the gate and for lock -ing the gate in anexpanded condition against accidental collapse.

8. In a collapsible and expansible gate; means for collapsing andexpanding the gate comprising an operating means swingingly connected tothe gate between the top and bottom of the gate and movable close to andin substantially the vertical plane of the gate to collapse and expandthe gate and to lock the gate in expanded condition against accidentalcollapse.

9. In a collapsible and expansible gate; an operating means forcollapsing and expanding the gate including spaced spring actuatedtelescoping elements pivotally connected to the ends of the gate and amovable member pivotally connected to the spaced spring actuatedtelescoping elements to move the latter upwardly and downwardly in aplane substantially parallel with the vertical plane of the gate toactuate the spring actuated telescoping elements to collapse and expandthe gate.

10. In a collapsible and expansible portable gate; an operating meanscarried by the gate for collapsing and expanding the gate and movable upand down and adjacent the gate and in a plane substantially parallelwith the vertical plane of the gate and a portion of whichoperatingmeans constitutes a carrying handle to carry the gate in collapsedcondition from one place to another.

JAMES B. MUTCH.

